GLAAD - OutServe-SLDNhttp://www.glaad.org/tags/outserve-sldn
enHow DOMA Hurts the Militaryhttp://www.glaad.org/blog/how-doma-hurts-military
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>On March 26 the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the discriminatory "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA). DOMA unfairly denies federal protections—like Social Security, veterans’ benefits, health insurance and retirement savings—to committed same-sex couples who are legally married in their own states.</p>
<p><img class="media-image" id="2" style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;;;" src="http://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/ARheadshot.jpg?itok=4GScT2A6" alt="" />But as <a href="http://www.sldn.org/">OutServe - SLDN</a> Executive Director, Allyson Robinson, explained, the harms of DOMA also reach military members and their families. "Gay and lesbian military members can be out, but we are far from equal," Robinson said. She noted that this form of discrimination weakens national security.</p>
<p>She explained that gay and lesbian military members and families don't receive the military benefits that they have earned through their military service, such as housing, health care, and next of kin notification and support. Robinson said that a large portion of a military member's compensation is made up of these benefits, and restricting access to them has harmed families. Each year, gay and lesbian military members spend over $5000 more in out of pocket expenses than their straight counterparts.</p>
<p>Staff Sgt. Tracy Dice Johnson is one of those members. She met her wife six years ago, both as actively military members. After "Don't Ask Don't Tell" was repealed, the two were married in Washington, DC, where marriage equality is legal. When her wife was killed in Afghanistan, Johnson was not informed. Instead, she was told by members of her wife's family that representatives of the military had visited and informed them.</p>
<p>"Usually widowed spouses are notified of death, provided counseling, able to greet the casket as it arrives on American soil, and presented the flag that drapes the casket," Johnson said. "I received none of that." Because of DOMA, she was rendered invisible by the military.</p>
<p><img class="media-image" height="161" id="2" style="height: 161px; width: 250px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; float: right;;;" width="250" src="http://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/miller_doma_onpage.jpg?itok=acSGZjRD" alt="" />Former Congressman, Army Captain, and Iraq War Veteran Patrick Murphy stated, "DOMA is disruptive to our troops and the military as a whole." He noted that DOMA makes it harder for troops to focus on their job, harder to recruit the top talent, and harder to maintain troop readiness. "The fate of so many military families rests in the hands of the court."</p>
<p>GLAAD is a part of the<a href="http://www.respectformarriage.org/"> Respect for Marriage</a> coalition, a partnership of more than 80 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women's organizations working together to end the "Defense of Marriage Act" and grow support for the freedom to marry. GLAAD is keeping the American public informed about the cases, advocating for fair and inclusive coverage of the cases, and raising the voices of the growing majority who support marriage equality.</p>
<h2>Take Action</h2>
<p>Visit <a href="http://www.lighttojustice.org/index.html">United for Marriage</a> to learn how you can join thousands of people and grassroots organizations to stand up and show your support for marriage equality in Washington and around the country. Also visit <a href="http://www.glaad.org/marriage">www.glaad.org/marriage</a> to stay informed.</p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pubdate field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">March 13, 2013</span></div></div></div>
<div class="field field-name-field-issues field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/issues/news">News</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/issues/family">Family</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<!--
THIS FILE IS NOT USED AND IS HERE AS A STARTING POINT FOR CUSTOMIZATION ONLY.
See http://api.drupal.org/api/function/theme_field/7 for details.
After copying this file to your theme's folder and customizing it, remove this
HTML comment.
-->
<div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/marriage-equality">Marriage Equality</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/united-marriage">United for Marriage</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/doma">DOMA</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/outserve-sldn">OutServe-SLDN</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:33:33 +0000rossmurray63709 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/blog/how-doma-hurts-military#commentsOutServe-SLDN Calls For End to All Anti-LGBT Discrimination in the Militaryhttp://www.glaad.org/blog/outserve-sldn-calls-end-all-anti-lgbt-discrimination-military
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img alt="Allyson Robinson/OutServe Magazine " class="media-image" height="283" id="2" style="height: 283px; width: 425px;;;;;;;;;" width="425" src="http://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/AllysonRobinson_OS_SLDN.jpg?itok=8IVTBLa_" /><br /><em>Allyson Robinson/OutServe Magazine</em></p>
<p>At the 2013 National Dinner for OutServe-SLDN, an organization that supports, defends and empowers LGBT service members, veterans and their families, Executive Director Allyson Robinson gave the first <a href="http://www.outserve-sldn.org/news/archives/robinson-sets-outserve-sldn-goals-in-first-lgbt-military-service-address/" target="_blank">State of LGBT Military Equality Address</a>. Robinson, who is an Army Veteran and a transgender woman, spoke to a crowd of nearly 1,000 service members, veterans and supporters, emphasizing the need for their continued work toward ensuring a future of inclusion and fairness in the military. </p>
<p>“The fight for full LGBT equality in our armed forces is far from over. In fact, it's just getting started," Robinson said. "LGBT troops still lack even the most basic nondiscrimination protections – protections that have been the standard with other American employers for years. The Defense of Marriage Act still denies LGBT military families the most important support services – things like health insurance and survivor benefits. Qualified Americans who are transgender and who want to serve in uniform are still forbidden from doing so by medical regulations that have become ridiculously obsolete. And despite the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," thousands of our troops are still in the closet, afraid of what coming out might mean for their careers, their families."</p>
<p><img class="media-image" height="283" id="2" style="height: 283px; width: 425px;;;;;;;;;" width="425" src="http://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/AllysonRobinson_OutServeMag.jpg?itok=CcmXTKcF" alt="" /><br /><em>Allyson Robinson/OutServe Magazine</em></p>
<p>Robinson also announced that OutServe-SLDN is committed to expanding its membership from 6,000 to 14,000 by the end of 2014, which would reflect the number of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guardsmen forced out of service under the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy. Speaking about the organization's mission, she said, "It’s not enough to check off the items on our policy agenda one by one and say one day, ‘we're done.’ We're working to create a military that truly embodies the values of fairness and equality it protects, one that leads the nation in inclusion rather than lagging behind it."</p>
<p>The OutServe-SLDN National Dinner was also attended by former Congressman and DADT repeal advocate Patrick Murphy (D-PA), reality television stars Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner Brent Ridge of <em>The Fabulous Beekman Boys</em>, <em>Washington Post</em> opinion writer and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Capehart, Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, and the first same-sex couple to wed in the West Point Cadet Chapel, Sue Fulton and Penelope Gnesin.</p>
<p><img class="media-image" height="326" id="2" style="height: 326px; width: 425px;;;;" width="425" src="http://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/OS_SLDN_RedCarpet.jpg?itok=zubejEnD" alt="" /><br /><em>Chris Burch Photography</em></p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pubdate field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">March 11, 2013</span></div></div></div>
<div class="field field-name-field-issues field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/issues/family">Family</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/issues/transgender">Transgender</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/issues/young-adult">Young Adult</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<!--
THIS FILE IS NOT USED AND IS HERE AS A STARTING POINT FOR CUSTOMIZATION ONLY.
See http://api.drupal.org/api/function/theme_field/7 for details.
After copying this file to your theme's folder and customizing it, remove this
HTML comment.
-->
<div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<ul class="field-items">
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/outserve-sldn">OutServe-SLDN</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/allyson-robinson">Allyson Robinson</a>, </li>
<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/military">military</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Mon, 11 Mar 2013 21:24:33 +0000daniheffernan63647 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/blog/outserve-sldn-calls-end-all-anti-lgbt-discrimination-military#comments